Taking It To The Streets: Jakarta Food Truck (The Foodie Magazine, Mar 2014)

As a new addition among other traditional food trucks found around the office buildings of Kuningan-Setia Budi, Jakarta Food Truck ushers a fresh concept on how to compete with the rest while satiating the appetite of everyone!

Food trucks may not be a new concept worldwide and also in Indonesia. For many years we have seen food trucks selling bread scouring our neighborhoods and some stationed in strategic locations for freshly made food although most of them usually provide prepared food for takeaway.

In conjunction with the renewed spirit of the food truck businesses in the USA, several creative Jakartans made an initiative to revive the whole concept into something fresh and engaging. One of the few that caught our attention was Jakarta Food Truck (JFT), owned by Ari Galih Gumilang – known as a celebrity chef in several local TV shows.

His take on the food truck business is to whip up some casual American food and of course, traditional Indonesian nasi rames (rice and different sides) to make it appealing or everyone. Additionally, some dessert creations and soft drinks are also available. The truck itself was heavily modified and everything is made fresh on the spot.

Upon seeing the menu, it was hard to resist having their grilled dishes for lunch. We had two huge beef ribs bathed with generous BBQ sauce and a Sloppy Joe to further enhance the indulgence. Both came with French fries which you can substitute with rice, and classic coleslaw to further enhance the American style lunch.

Want something else aside from the ribs and sloppy joe? Sure! JFT also has grilled spicy chicken and bangers & fries and for bun maniacs, the beef or chicken schnitzel. If you care for rice dishes, there are rice combos which have spicy anchovies, fried eggs and beef stew.

The Jakarta Food Truck is parked around Kuningan-Setia Budi from Monday to Fridays and around Kemang on weekends.